Surrender to Love
by HopelessOwls
Summary: RivaMika Week 2014 entries. Rated M for Day 5.
1. Why Did I Ever Let You Go?

Day 1 - Legendary Lovers: Scarlett O'Hara and Rhett Butler

* * *

Levi absently ran a finger around the rim of his drink, mouth pulling into a displeased frown as he watched Mikasa push her way through the crowd, heading in his direction.

Her face was as blank as stone, her walk as graceful and as predatory as a lion's. So different from the last time he saw her, yet so much the same. Levi doubted anyone who hadn't studied her expressions the way he had would see the slight hesitance in her eyes and the set of her mouth, or the almost hope in her dark eyes.

Her red scarf was wrapped around her neck, rattier than before, but still present. Her hair was longer, pulled into a low ponytail, her bangs still stubbornly sweeping into her eyes. The small scar under her eye was barely visible, hidden behind her hair and faded by time.

"What are you doing here, Ackerman?" Levi drawled as she slid into the seat next to his.

"I'm here for a drink, the same as you, Captain," she answered shortly, nodding her thanks as the bartender dropped a beer in front of her.

"You've never been that much of a drinker," Levi noted, taking a sip of his whiskey. "In fact, I thought you hated beer." He eyed her dress, shorter than he had ever seen her wear and tight enough for his eyes to not be the only ones drawn to her.

"Things change," she shrugged. Levi raised an eyebrow. _Yes they did._

Looking at her now, seeing the ways age had matured her, Levi could barely see the girl from two years ago sitting in front of him. The woman sitting next to him, the air of confidence almost palpable, was almost impossible to reconcile with the girl who had stared at him with wide, hurt eyes as he spoke his cold rejection of her, nearly five years ago.

"_I thought you loved me. I love you. I didn't know before…but I do. I know I do."_

"_I did love you."_

"_Then what changed?"_

"_I got tired of waiting. I couldn't wait for you any longer Mikasa, so I stopped loving you."_

"_You can't just stop loving someone."_

"_It's too late, Mikasa. No."_

He had hated the way she looked at him, vulnerable in a way he had never seen her before. He had hated what he had done to her, and to himself. But he couldn't retract his word then, and he wouldn't now.

Mikasa may have loved him, and he may have loved her, but they would never have worked. There wasn't room in their hearts, not with Mikasa's unhealthy devotion to Eren, and Levi's inability to let himself care too much for a person who would most likely die.

He had tried to let go of them part of him that pushed people away when he felt them getting too close. He had been willing to open himself up, even when every instinct told him not to. He had been willing to break down his walls and build them up with someone else inside. Levi had been willing to let Mikasa in.

But she never came and he gave up. Levi hated that he gave up on her.

"Do you suppose things could have been different?" Mikasa asked, rousing Levi from his thoughts. He watched her carefully, expecting to see some sign of longing in her eyes, or hope, or maybe even an apology – instead he found nothing but vague curiosity, like she didn't care what his answer was either way.

"Yes," he answered simply, looking down at his glass, swirling the whiskey as he tried to puzzle out why Mikasa was here, revisiting their buried past. "They could have been."

"Do you think they could be different now?"

Levi glanced up at her and found her black eyes locked on his, no longer distant, but intense and expectant. This was her apology, Levi understood – her apology for pushing him away when he tried to pull her in, for thinking she could make him wait forever, for not admitting her feelings until he had already given up. Levi frowned down at his drink, considering. "I don't know, Mikasa. No, I don't think so."

Mikasa nodded, a small, almost sad smile tugging the corner of her lips up. "Then I'll wait for you to know for sure."


	2. It's Nothing

Day 2 - The Gift: Anything to do with Mikasa's birthday

* * *

Not for the first time, Levi wondered just why the hell he was in Corporal Mikasa's room.

It was all Hanji's fault (like most everything was) that he had actually started considering this ridiculous idea in the first place. He wouldn't have even known Ackerman's birthday was coming up if they hadn't mentioned the party her brother was throwing and he definitely wouldn't have thought of attending if Hanji hadn't annoyed him with their whining until Levi reluctantly agreed.

The party had been nice he supposed, if the drunken officers could be ignored. The food was good and the wine was the best Levi had ever tasted, he could admit. Hanji spent the entire time dragging him around while they talked to seemingly every person in attendance, and when he had finally been able to extract his arm from their grasp and slip away, Mikasa had already blown out the candles of her cake and accepted her presents.

Hanji had gifted her pretty necklace, the single jewel fashioned into a dark purple violet, which Mikasa seemed to like. The other members of the Special Ops Squad had also given her small gifts, while Levi had hung around the shadows and watched.

He had thought she looked a little disappointed when she had glanced at him after everybody had finished singing, but Levi had looked away, feeling his stomach tighten as he tried to ignore the feeling of her eyes on his skin.

Levi straightened as the door clicked open and Mikasa walked in, arms full of gifts. She pushed the door open with her back, setting her presents on the table next to the door, taking special care with the tarnished picture frame that held a crumpled photo of their family that Eren had gifted her (something he had grabbed from his old house when they finally took back Wall Maria). Levi stared at it for a moment, eyeing the nine year old Ackerman before pulling his attention back to Mikasa.

"Ackerman," he said shortly when she didn't seem to want to look his way. She jumped slightly, head swinging around before she relaxed and raised any eyebrow.

"What are you doing in my room, Levi?" She pulled off her jacket as she sat down on the wide bed, seeming to take his presence in her room in stride. "Did you pick my lock?" Settling back against, Mikasa crossed her legs, propping her chin in her hand.

"It was a shitty lock," Levi muttered, leaning against the wall and crossing his arms. "Anyway, I wanted to talk to you."

"You couldn't have talked to me at the party?" Her eyes watched him as he shifted uncomfortably, amused. He rolled his eyes at her in answer.

"I wanted to talk to you when there weren't five people hanging off your elbows." Levi grimaced, pulling the small, brightly colored box (Hanji chose the wrapping paper) off the table and abruptly shoving in into her hands. "Here."

She blinked up at him, surprised, before looking down to her lap. She picked at the bow, a soft smile forming on her lips, and ripped the paper off. Her mouth fell open as she stared, gently pulling thick, woven, red yarn out of the box. She held it in her hands, smoothing down the crocheted hat. "Did you…make this?"

"Uh, yeah." Levi rubbed the back of his head, dropping his eyes in sudden embarrassment when she looked up at him in astonishment.

"It's the same color as my scarf," she murmured, sounding almost dazed. She ran her fingers over the stitches Levi had been laboring over for the past two weeks. "I really hadn't expected this from you, Levi."

"It's nothing. Happy Birthday, Mikasa." Levi kept his eyes on the door as he spoke, carefully keeping her profile in the corner of his eye. He nearly jumped when he realized she was suddenly standing in front of him, wearing the gentlest look he had ever seen from her.

Leaning down slightly, Mikasa pressed a chaste kiss to his cheek, lips almost brushing the corner of his mouth. "Thank you, Levi."

Levi stared at her in complete shock for nearly a minute before suddenly realizing his cheeks were burning scarlet. He murmured a stuttered "your welcome" before stumbling out of the room, flushing down to his collarbones at the sound of her soft laughter.

In the morning, when Mikasa came to breakfast wearing her new hat, Levi couldn't stop the small smile from forming on his lips, even when Hanji dug her elbow into his ribs.


	3. Unfortunate

Day 3 - Force majeure:

-chance occurrence, unavoidable accident

-an extraordinary event or circumstance beyond the control of the parties, such as a war,strike, riot, crime, or an event described by the legal term act of God (such as hurricane, flooding, earthquake, volcanic eruption, etc.), prevents one or both parties from fulfilling their obligations under the contract.

-anything that involves the forces of nature

* * *

Coughing, Levi blinked his eyes open and peered around in the dusty dark. He couldn't see anything but shadows dancing around in front of him, dust swirling where light somehow penetrated through the rubble. Blocks of stone that seemed to be torn out of the ground they were lying on, blood splattered on the hard concrete of some, surrounded him, muffling every sound except for his heavy breathing.

Levi tried to twist his body out from under the pile of stone that threatened to collapse on top of him, grunting when he only managed to make the rubble shift. Smaller stones freed themselves from the larger mass and hit his face, clattering to the ground with an echo. Levi stilled, warily eying the groaning mass of rock that trapped him.

He craned his neck in every direction, calling out the names of his squad, of Hanji and Erwin, only to have them echo back. Nobody answered and nothing moved. Levi let his head fall back with a thump, closing his eyes as his gaze fell on a limp arm trapped under a boulder not a foot away. That arm could've belonged to Erwin, he thought, or Hanji, or Eren, or Armin, or anybody. His whole squad could be trapped under the rubble, like him, dead or dying or unable to move.

Of course, the earthquake had to hit right at the moment when they were heading out on the expedition that could have saved Humanity. They had finally – _finally_ – managed to secure Wall Maria after losing over 80% of the Survey Corps and were ready to find the basement that held the secret to winning this war. They were at the gate, about to leave, when the ground started heaving, the earth breaking apart. Horses reared, throwing their riders out of saddles, buildings crumpled and fell, and everybody was running, screaming. It only lasted for a moment, but it was enough – enough to destroy everything. Levi, in the middle of the chaos, had witnessed chunks of Wall Rose fall to the ground, faces of the titans within appearing as the world collapsed around him.

Levi coughed again, feeling something warm splatter on his mouth and chin. It was over. The Wall had fallen and all the titans trapped inside Wall Maria were probably already descending on the town. Most of the Scouting Legion was buried under rubble, unable to help. By the time they were evacuated, there probably wouldn't be anybody to save.

Levi's head whipped around as he heard crunching from his right. Someone was moving towards him, though in the darkness they only looked like a darker shadow against the gritty gray behind them.

"Corporal?" the person said, and Levi nearly sighed in relief. Ackerman had found him.

"Right here, Ackerman." She crawled to him, her face becoming visible as light hit it. Levi grimaced at the amount of blood coating her cheeks, pooling out of a large gash on the side of her face. She moved awkwardly, he noticed, favoring her leg. "How injured are you?"

"I think I have a concussion and my leg is hurt. I don't think anything is broken, though," she reported, leaning over him. "What about you?"

"I'm stuck. My legs are trapped, probably crushed." Levi watched her carefully as she stood, hunched over as she examined the rock balanced on top of him. "Have you found anyone else?"

Mikasa shook her head, kneeling down next to him. "No. Only you." She grabbed beams of wood from where they were lying around, bracing them against the pile of rubble. Levi frowned.

"What are you doing? You're not going to try and pull me out are you, Ackerman?"

She paused, staring down at him in surprise. "I'm not going to leave you here." She shifted so that she was positioned behind him and wrapped her hands around his upper arms.

"You need to go, Ackerman. I'm not help to you. Go find Eren and get out of here while you still can." Levi grunted as she pulled on his body, moving him back a couple inches. "Just leave me and go."

"No," she panted, pulling on his shoulders with as much force as she could manage in the cramped space. Levi cursed, groaning when he felt the bones in his legs shift as they were slowly freed. The rubble above their bodies groaned threateningly, more stones falling away. "I'm not leaving you here," she repeated.

"If you don't, we'll both be crushed. Go, Ackerman. That's an order." Levi tried to pull himself from her grip, failing miserably. Mikasa wrapped her legs around his waist, tugging on his body sharply.

"If you think ordering me to leave you to die is going to work, you're an idiot, _sir_." Mikasa heaved, using her long legs as leverage to move him out from under the rock. Levi suppressed a cry of pain as his feet were freed, bones crunching audibly.

The rubble teetered. Levi grabbed Mikasa by the waist, rolling them away as boulders crashed down, dust billowing around them as the ground shook with the force of stone falling. He grunted against her hair as something heavy hit his back, then his shoulder and leg as he wrapped himself around Mikasa's body. She pressed her face into his chest, wrapping her arms around his neck.

When the shaking stopped and the dust had settled, Levi leaned up, glaring. "You're lucky to be alive." He shook his head, pulling her up and wiping dust and blood off of her face with his torn sleeve. "You should have listened to me."

Mikasa shook her head silently, wrapping her arms around his chest. Before he could speak again, she pressed trembling lips against his, so quickly he barely felt the pressure of her mouth. When she pulled back, Levi stared at her, shock rendering him mute. "Come on," she muttered, avoiding his eyes as she dragged him to his feet despite his protesting groans. "Let's go find everybody else."

Leaning heavily on her, Levi wrapped an arm around Mikasa's waist, hand gripping her hip, and turned her face to him. Tilting his head up, he fitted his mouth of hers, savoring the softness of Mikasa' lips. "Let's go."


	4. Make It All Stop

Day 4 - Seven Deadly Sins: Lust and Greed

* * *

The sound of water almost drowned it out. Not quite, but almost. Levi could focus on the sound of water hitting his skin, slapping against the cold tile, smacking against the glass door. He could focus on the wet cloth clinging to his body, the numbness of his skin. Enveloped in water, focusing on only what he felt and heard, he could ignore everything else.

_Why don't you do it? You deserve it. Why shouldn't she be with you? She should be yours – nobody else deserves her. __**Take her**__._

Levi pressed his palms to his ears, like he could block out the desperate, cold voice in his head. He pressed his forehead to his knees, digging his nails into his scalp, scraping them down the sides of his face, gasping for breath.

_She would want you to. She doesn't know what she wants. If you show her, she would know. She would want you to take her. She would __**want **__it._

Unbidden, thoughts of Mikasa, pale skin flushed and sweaty swirled in his mind, brought out by that awful voice. Levi's stomach heaved, lust and self-disgust twisting, fighting to take hold of him and he wrapped his arms around is head, trying to block the voice out, the thoughts swirling around in his mind.

It had been nearly a month of this, of whatever form of his consciousness manifesting itself as a dry, slick voice that wrapped around his brain and pervaded his mind. He didn't know what it was, didn't know how to fight it off, how to say _no, I will not do that. I will not hurt her. She __**trusts**__ me._

He ignored it, every time it showed up, he ignored it, but he couldn't block it out. It was always there, always urging him on, like a monster living in his skin, like a demon possessing him. He would do anything to have it go away, to just stop, but he couldn't – couldn't fight his own mind from twisting the desires he knew existed in the darkest, most desperate corner of his being.

_Why wouldn't she want you? Why would she reject you? She likes you. She wants you. Take her. You deserve her. She would love it. Take her. _

Levi had known he wanted Mikasa before the voice was there, urging him to do what he knew was wrong. He had known he was attracted to her, to her body and to _her_. How could he not be – she was so strong, so beautiful, so full of life that whenever he was near her, he felt her infecting him with everything that she was, making him feel lighter, less isolated, maybe even_ happy_.

She didn't care for him the way he wished she would. Mikasa saw him as a friend; Levi was the person she came to when everything was too much, when she needed to speak about things that only he would understand. He helped ease her burden and she appreciated it, but that was the extent of their relationship. She respected him as a leader, and as a friend, but nothing more.

_She just doesn't know yet. She doesn't know what you could give her. You have to show her. She won't know until you __**make**__ her._

Kneeling, Levi dragged his hands through his sopping hair, letting his body fall back against the white, ceramic walls. He kneaded the heels of his hands against his eyes. He wanted silence from the voice. He wanted emptiness from his thoughts. He wanted everything to go away, so for once, he could just _breathe_.

_**Take her. She is **__yours__**. **_

Levi jolted as the glass shower door slid open, narrow eyes widening in shock. Mikasa stood outside of the shower, apparently not minding the water that escaped the small space and hit her. Not saying anything, she stepped into the confined space, already divested of her precious scarf and gear straps.

She grimaced as the cold water enveloped her, reaching over him to turn on the hot water. Sliding down, she pulled her knees to her chest, watching Levi with dark eyes that told him nothing of what she was thinking.

_She's right there. She came to you. She __**wants you**__, just like you want her._

Levi didn't look at her, because he knew if he took in the sight of her with her hair slicked against her cheeks and her white shirt transparent, his self-control would break. He kept his eyes focused on the drain even when Mikasa pressed her side against his, leaning her head on his shoulder. Her slender fingers encircled his wrist, pulling his hand into her lap. Levi could hear her question, her concern, as clearly as if she had spoken, and drew his knees to his chest, pressing his face into them, but he did not pull his hand away.

"I'm fine," he whispered, barely loud enough to be heard over the spray of water around them.

"No, you aren't." Mikasa pressed her palm to his, entwining their fingers. "You aren't okay."

_**Take her.**_

Levi chuckled hollowly, feeling hysteria start to settle. "You're right."

"Tell me about it." She turned her head to the side, warm breath fanning across his cold cheek. Levi shivered, fingers tightening spasmodically around her hand. "I'll listen."

Levi shook his head, staring at his bare feet. She was here, telling him to unload his problems onto her already weighed down shoulders. He wished he could, God, how he wished he could tell her everything. She was the only one he could tell – she was the only person who came close to understanding what Levi felt underneath his mask. She understood how hard it was to be so strong all the time, how hard it was to fight a losing battle, how hard it was to watch people terrible deaths and survive despite the odds. How hard it was to be revered for not dying in the place of others.

Levi knew she understood that burden; she bore her own. But he couldn't tell her about this, about the voice in his head, what it urged him to do, what he _wanted_ to do. She understood many things, but this, she wouldn't. If he told her the thoughts that had been plaguing him for the past months, the urges he was fighting at the moment, she would be disgusted. She would slap him, transfer to a different squad, never speak to him again.

He would lose her.

_She will be happy to know how you feel. _

Mikasa took his silence for an answer, reaching up to run her fingers through his wet hair. "Okay. You don't have to talk. Not now."

Levi nodded, suppressing the sob that built up in his throat. He understood what she was saying.

He knew she would listen when he shattered open completely.


	5. Behind Closet Walls

Day 5 - SMUT DAY: Calor (heat, bodily heat)

* * *

Levi sat with his head against the corner of the small, heated closet, pressing his eye to the tiny hole that allowed him to see into the main room where Hanji and Erwin were writhing under the covers, the sound of bodies hitting each other audible among the moans and grunts. It was wrong of him, he knew, to watch them while they were completely oblivious to his attention, but it didn't stop him from staring.

Something about the situation, however wrong it was, was turning him on. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that he and Mikasa never did get to finish what they started, after nearly being found and having to run into the room before someone saw Mikasa flushed face and Levi's open pants, or maybe it was just Levi had a thing for watching, but he was _horny_, and the pressure in his groin was begging to be relieved.

And Levi couldn't do a damn thing about it.

Mikasa tugged on his chin, pulling his attention back to her face. Her dark eyes were bright, predatory, sparking with lust, and a faint pink blush coated her cheekbones. She smiled at him, showing her teeth as her fingers dug into his cheeks. "I thought I said no watching."

"Tch. Since when do you dictate what I do, brat?" Levi shot back, trying to pull his face out of her fingers.

Mikasa reached behind him, tightening the knots of red yarn that kept Levi's wrists tucked against the dip in his back. "Since I tied you up," Mikasa murmured in his ear, cool, soft breath fanning out against the hot back of his neck. Levi shivered as the tip of her tongue brushed the sensitive spot behind his ear. "If you want me to let you go, you have to do what I say."

Levi rolled his eyes, but he couldn't quite hide his growing desire. He would never admit it, but he loved submitting to Mikasa as much as she loved making him submit. "Fine." He glanced at the hole again when someone moaned brokenly from behind the wall, but looked back at Mikasa before she could grab his chin again.

Mikasa smirk was as devious as it was eager. She leaned over him, slender fingers plucking the buttons of his shirt open, pushing the white fabric out of the way. Her lips trailed down the path her fingers made, tongue flicking out to taste his skin. Levi let his head fall back against the wall with a thump, closing his eyes and breathing deeply as her mouth left a hot trail down his abs, teeth nipping at his pelvic bone.

He swallowed a groan as her hand pushed past his belt, long fingers wrapping around his erection. Slowly, _too slowly_, she stroked him from base to head, pulling a low moan from Levi's throat. Returning her lips to his neck, she pressed open-mouthed kisses to the space where his neck joined his shoulder, tangling her free hand into his sweat-damp hair.

Levi bucked into her hand as a loud groan slipped through the cracks in the closet door and he couldn't help but stare into Hanji bedroom, watching them and Erwin tangle together, his cock twitching. Mikasa's grip on him tightened, sliding her hand back down to the base and twisting when she reached his head; just the way he liked. Again and again she pressed her hand over him, keeping the strokes slow, but never faltering in her pace, rubbing her palm against him until his entire body was shaking and flushed with heat. Levi jerked into her hand again, almost helpless in his response as he moaned through his teeth.

Mikasa curled her fingers around his hip. "Stop moving," she ordered, leaning back to smirk at his flushed face. He glared at her, thrusting into her palm. "Stop moving," she repeated, pulling her hand away from his cock. Levi suppressed a disappointed groan. "Or I'll stop," Mikasa continued, rubbing his thighs. "And leave you here for Hanji and Erwin to find."

Levi scowled, deciding to not call her on her bluff. He let his body relax with a huff, glowering at the younger woman kneeling in front of him. "Then can you get on with it?"

Mikasa's mouth twisted thoughtfully as she pushed his pants down to his knees. Levi hissed as the hot air hit his arousal, and she grinned at him, teasingly trailing her fingers up and down his shaft. "Say please."

Levi set his lips, stubbornly refusing. "No? Okay." Mikasa murmured, trailing her fingers farther down to brush against his perianal skin. "Are you sure you won't say please?"

"No."

Levi's hips jolted as her finger slid into him and grinded down hard into him. He arched into her hand with a moan, trying to create friction when she stilled, smirking at him like the wanton little devil she was. He was panting now, sweat rolling down the sides of his face. It was hot – too hot. The dry air in the closet was stifling, and his flushed skin was burning with the force of his blush. "Mikasa, stop teasing me," he growled as her free hand pushed his hips down and held him in place.

He moaned, too loudly, when she slid another finger in, twisting and curling them until Mikasa had to press her hand to his mouth, whispering to him to not be too loud or Hanji and Erwin would hear. Levi didn't care – she was driving him insane. Pleasure was clouding his mind, heat and lust in the very air he was breathing. He didn't care if someone busted the door down right then and saw what they were doing so long as Mikasa _didn't stop_.

Only she did – of course she did. Mikasa leaned back on her haunches, removing her fingers. Levi groaned, fighting to free his hands and pull her back. "Mikasa. Please. Fuck, please."

She grinned victoriously, pushing the hair clinging to her cheeks behind her ears and settling her knees to either side of his thighs. She pressed her hands on his shoulders, tapping her fingers against his skin as she watched him squirm with anticipation. Leaning down, she scraped her teeth over his earlobe. "Don't get too loud, Levi," she warned, pulling off her underwear and tossing them to the side.

Levi pressed his face into Mikasa's shoulder, groaning, as she slid down, pressing him into her in one smooth movement. She paused, shifting as she adjusted to him. Giving him a grin that was far from innocent, she slowly rolled her hips, hands pressed flat against his chest, before riding him fast and hard, her slick, scorching heat nearly driving him over the edge.

Levi let his head thunk against the wall, pushing his hips up to meet hers, barely able to contain the noises she was forcing out of his throat. He leaned forward, capturing Mikasa's lips, sliding his tongue into her mouth, swallowing the small, pleased noises she was making. The movement of her hips quickened, hands slipping down his arms to pull at the knots binding his wrists as their damp chests bumped and slid against each other, sweat merging as it dripped down between their bodies.

Finally freed, Levi grabbed her waist, reversing their positions, gasping into her hair. The heat was stifling, made only worse by their fervent movement, the heavy, dry air wrapping around them until Levi was sure he and Mikasa were going to burn to ash. The heat built between them, as intoxicating as the feeling of skin against skin, pushing them closer to each to each other, forcing them to move faster, harder, wrapping around the other in the midst of their desire. Levi pressed Mikasa to the wall, burying himself completely within her with a grunt and rolling his hips into hers until she was shaking, muffling her scream with a bite to his shoulder, legs wrapping around his hips so tightly he was sure there would be bruises in the morning. With her legs locked around him, Levi only managed two short, unsteady thrusts until he was undone, groaning and swearing into Mikasa's hair.

Levi kept his arms wrapped around Mikasa's shoulders until the heat between them became more than uncomfortable. Levi untangled their limbs, collapsing against the wall, pushing his wet hair out of his eyes. Mikasa leaned against his shoulder, eyes closed and apparently exhausted. "This could have been worse," he murmured, handing Mikasa her scarf.

She wrapped it around her neck, despite the heat inside the closet. She shook her head at him, a small smile on her lips. "You're such a pervert, Levi," she whispered, curling against his side. "Only you could get so hot and bothered in a situation like this."

"Says the one who tied me up and made me beg."

Mikasa already flushed face burned crimson at his crude words. "Whatever, pervert. We aren't doing this again."

Levi smirked, running a hand through her sticky hair. "You said that the last time."


	6. Piece Of My Heart

Day 6 - Valentine's Day

* * *

Levi twisted the thin chain of the necklace around his fingers, watching the way the light reflected off of the small jewel. No bigger than his thumbnail, the translucent gem was fashioned into a rose, surrounded by two pale green emeralds shaped like thin leaves. As Levi set it in his palm, he marveled at the smooth cut of the jewel, how intricate the design of rose petals was, the way it caught the barest amount of light and sparkled like he was holding it directly under the sun.

It was a beautiful necklace. Levi had bought it on a whim, several years ago as he walked down the street with Hanji, absently admiring the merchandise of several stalls as he passed them. The rose necklace had caught his eye as he was walking. He remembered being surprised to find a necklace made of real gemstones for the price it was, and had bought without really having a set purpose for it. Maybe he would have given it to Hanji for their birthday, or Petra for Christmas, but he forgot about it soon buying it, and the jewelry sat inside his drawer for a long time. Levi hadn't remembered until he had been digging around for a spare pen and came across the velvet box buried under stack of yellowed paper.

He'd moved it to a new place upon finding it again, setting it inside his wardrobe instead of locking it in a drawer; somewhere he wouldn't forget about it. Levi had absently told himself he would make a gift of it at the next opportunity, but he never did. The velvet box stayed inside his wardrobe, gathering dust, until one day he picked it up and considered a new home for the necklace.

Levi's relationship with Mikasa had long been developed past a soldier and her officer, and had just become more serious than causal lovers when he was reminded of the necklace. Her birthday had just passed, with Levi giving her a present of her favorite flowers and a special dinner. Levi remembered wishing he had remembered the necklace a couple weeks ago when he picked it up again, but he promised himself he would give it to her on her next birthday.

But her next birthday came and Levi had gotten her a different gift; he hadn't forgotten the necklace this time, but decided to wait a couple days later, for Valentine's Day, which he and Mikasa had not celebrated the past year. It would be their first Valentine's Day together, and Levi wanted to make it special – which is why he thought the necklace would be the perfect gift.

He smiled to himself, picturing Mikasa's face when he gave it to her. He stood next to the bed, watching her sleeping face in the candlelight. She was curled on her side, arm thrown over her large, rounded stomach. Levi sat down next to her head, pushing hair away from her forehead and resting a hand on her stomach. A warm smile crossed his face, a smile only a couple people had ever seen, when his unborn child kicked his palm.

The baby would be coming soon, according to Hanji, who was the closest thing to a midwife the military had. Levi was as excited as he was nervous; he wasn't sure bringing a child into this shitty world was good idea, just as he wasn't sure he would make a good father. He had been uncertain from the start, as Mikasa had been, but neither of them were willing to give up their unborn baby.

Levi set the necklace in its box, placing it on the bedside table where Mikasa would see it when she woke in the morning. He settled on the other side of the bed, blowing out the candle and resting his arm next to Mikasa's. He pressed a kiss to the sensitive spot where her neck and shoulder met before closing his eyes.

Levi woke with a start. He blinked blearily, furrowing his eyebrows when he noticed Mikasa's palm repeatedly smacking against his shoulder. He sat up, suddenly wide-awake. "Mikasa? What's wrong?"

"I think – I think the baby's coming," she gasped, pressing a hand to her stomach and groaning. "Yeah, it's coming."

Levi scrambled out of the bed, already running out of the room, despite being dressed in only in sweatpants. He called, "I'll get Hanji," over his shoulder as he closed the door behind him.

Luckily for him, Hanji was already awake, sitting at their desk and reading through some journals. They looked up when Levi barged into the room, not even waiting for him to speak before they were gathering up the things they would need and pushing Levi back into the hallway with a wide smile and a cheerful. "You're going to be a father!"

Mikasa was flat on her back, groaning and clutching her stomach when Levi and Hanji arrived, her hair already damp with sweat. Levi went to sit next to her, but Hanji pushed him back into the hallway, telling him to stay outside and that he would have his baby in his arms in no time. Levi stared at the door that was just shut in his face for a moment, scowling, before shaking his head and finding a chair to set outside the door. As much as he wanted to be there when Mikasa gave birth, to hold her hand through the pain, there was no use in trying to cross Hanji to get to her.

Eren and Armin woke up a couple hours later, and pulled out chairs of their own to wait while Levi paced in front of the doorway, rubbing his hands through his hair every time Mikasa's scream pierced the tense silence.

Levi was no expert in child birth, but he was sure something was wrong. He knew the process of giving birth was no doubt more painful than he could ever hope to comprehend, but should she be screaming like that for this long? He didn't know, but he _did_ know it would be unwise to open the door to check and make sure everything was alright.

Eren and Armin's tense faces watched him as he wore a path into the stone floor, heads swiveling between him and the closed door.

Finally it was silent. Levi stopped pacing, crossing his arms as he eyed the peeling blue paint warily. Levi gave a sigh as the door opened. Relief turned into worry as he faced Hanji and took in their haggard face, the way they were already raising their hands, palms facing him in a gesture that said "hold on." "Levi," she whispered quietly. "Levi…"

Levi froze, one hand already reaching for the handle next to Hanji's hip. He turned to her, clenching his hands into fists. "What? What's wrong? Is the baby okay?" he demanded, staring up at her wide eyes. Something happened – Hanji could never hide their emotions as well as they should have, and Levi could read her as easily as a book. "Hanji, _what happened_?"

Hanji swallowed hard, putting her hands on his shoulders. She pushed him back a few steps so that Levi didn't have to tilt his head to look her in the face. "Levi. Mikasa…she isn't going to make it."

Levi's breath froze in his chest as he stared at his friend. "What do you mean she isn't going to make it?" He reached out, grasping Hanji's shoulders. They winced as he shook her roughly, their hands tightening on his shoulders. "What do you _mean_?"

"It was a hard birth, Levi," Hanji murmured, looking away from the horror in Levi's eyes. "The baby is okay, but Mikasa lost a lot of blood. She's barely holding on as it is. You should go in there while…" Hanji moved to the side, pressing a hand to her mouth.

Levi banged the door open, feeling like he was walking into a dream. He watched as a nurse left the room, holding a small bundle in her arms, the sound of infant crying fading as the door shut. Levi stared after her for a moment, before turning his gaze to the bed where Mikasa was resting. Curled on her side, facing way from him, Levi saw her shoulders were shaking. Levi could smell the metallic scent of blood as he walked closer to the bed, though the sheets were pristine, only crumpled where Mikasa had turned on them.

Levi sat down next to her head, tentatively reaching out to brush his hand through her hair. "Mikasa?" She didn't turn around, only curled her knees closer to her chest, sniffling. Levi winced – he could never get used to Mikasa crying, he saw it so rarely. "Mikasa," he whispered, leaning over her to press a kiss to the crown of her head.

"It's a girl. I held her." Mikasa's voice was faint, thick like she had just woken up from a long sleep – and so sad. She rolled over wrapping her arms around his waist, and the effort it took her made Levi close his eyes. "She's so beautiful," she whispered, burying her face against his neck.

Levi pushed her sweaty hair away from her neck, grimacing at the pale, sickly look of her skin. She was trembling faintly, even with the thick blanket wrapped around her body. "I'm sorry," she croaked. "I couldn't do it." Fat tears leaked out of her eyes, dark eyes that were so full of life and hour ago and were now so hollow.

"No," Levi murmured firmly. "It's not your fault. It's no one's fault." Levi could tell his hands were shaking as he ran them down Mikasa's arms. She wasn't going to live – Levi knew it and Mikasa knew it. She was dying, right here in his arms, lying on the bed where she gave birth to their child. Levi didn't want to believe it, but he couldn't deny that the way Mikasa's breaths rattled in her chest, her trembling, cold limbs, and her bloodless face, were not sighs of a healthy woman. Levi suppressed the sob that was building in his throat as he pulled Mikasa to his chest, breathing deeply into her hair.

"I'm sorry." She was sobbing now, racking sobs that shook her entire body, the sound like a saw ripping through wood. Mikasa was gasping for breath, fingers trying to clutch his shoulders. Levi rubbed her back, trailing his hand up and down her spine, whispering for her to calm down. Mikasa's breath evened out after a moment, but Levi thought it had less to do with her becoming more calm and more to do with her body not being able to handle the force of her weeping.

Levi didn't know what to feel. He hadn't even thought of the possibility of Mikasa not surviving childbirth – she was so strong, her body was strong, and if he had considered it, he would have told himself she was too stubborn to die without knowing her child. He didn't know if he should feel guilty for wishing she had never gotten pregnant in the first place, grateful that his baby girl survived, or if it was better for him to not feel at all.

Levi buried his face into Mikasa hair, before breathing deeply and twisting around. He grabbed the small velvet-covered box off the bedside table where he had left it the night before. He pushed it open, plucking the necklace out by its delicate chain.

Mikasa's breath wheezed out of her chest, and her eyes fell closed. Levi gently nudged them back open, holding the necklace up so she could see it. She gave him a weak smile, nothing more than a slight curve of the corner of her lip. "It's beautiful, Levi." Her voice was barely a whisper.

Levi unclasped the chain, pushing his hands through her hair to wrap it around her neck. It sat nicely in the hollow of her throat, and Levi smiled forlornly, wishing he could have seen it on her when she wasn't lying in bed, barely able to move. "Don't worry, Mikasa. I'll take care of our daughter. I'll make sure she knows how much you love her." Mikasa nodded against his chest, tears still trailing down her cheeks to drop against his collarbone as her fingers twitched against the rose gemstone.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Mikasa," Levi murmured, pressing a kiss to her damp temple. "I love you."

"Love…you, too…Levi," she mumbled, closing her eyes again. Levi wrapped his arms around her, pressing his nose into her neck.

Levi didn't move away until the nurses came with a white sheet to wrap around Mikasa's body.


	7. Protégée

Day 7 - Fandom Crossover/AU: Harry Potter

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Mikasa slid out of the booth, smiling at Eren and Armin. Walking through the crowd, she finally reached the bar, asking Madame Rosmerta for three more butterbeers. The woman gave a nod, already looking to take someone else's order as she stepped quickly around the shop in her tall, red heels – Mikasa still didn't understand how she could wear those things for that long without crippling herself.

Mikasa leaned against the polished wood table as she sat down, pushing her skirt back down to her knees when it rode up and casting her gaze around the area around her with a feeling of nostalgia. It was the last time she would be visiting Hogsmeade – well, the last time she would go to the village as a student, that is. Mikasa couldn't help but feel a little sad as she looked around at all the other students gathered there.

In less than a month, Mikasa would be leaving Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and moving on with her life; moving on to the Ministry, where she was going to study to be an auror, along with Eren and Armin.

Eren couldn't wait for their graduation to come – he couldn't wait to become an auror, to "kill all the Death Eaters" as he always said he would, ever since they were ten and being carried away after his mother was tortured and killed on Voldemort's orders. And while Mikasa wasn't quite as ready to leave Hogwarts – she never really did like change, after all – she was happy that Eren was finally getting to do what he had worked so hard for.

Mikasa hadn't been sure he was going to make it as an auror – one needed the top scores on their NEWTs to make it far enough to be considered, had to be the top ten of the class to be accepted for training. Mikasa was first in their year, Armin a close second (he would have been first, but potions was a weak subject for him – mostly due to Armin's fear of Professor Snape), and Eren had been 10th, just barely making the cut. Mikasa smiled at the memory of Eren's happy yelling when the scores were posted.

About a week ago, the three of them were sent to the Ministry for the first rounds of testing and for their mentors to be picked, an auror who was going to be taking them under their wing during their studies, to supposedly make them stronger, as well as teach them the real facts of being an auror. The tests they did were mostly physical based – they had to know the trainees could bear the physical burdens before they could even consider starting them on the studies they would need – and they were _hard_. Afterwards, Mikasa had never been so exhausted in her life and a week later, she was still sore.

Eren had done okay in the tests, and Armin had almost failed. But luckily, all three passed. They were moving on in auror training and if the past week was any indicator, the next month of their life at Hogwarts was going to be spent celebrating their achievement.

Mikasa jumped, lurching back to reality when Eren suddenly appeared at her elbow. Mikasa suppressed a groan when his sharp elbow dug into her sore ribs. "What, Eren? Is something wrong?"

He leaned closer to her, lips almost touching her ear. "Do you see that guy, standing over there? That's Levi – you know, the guy everybody was talking about yesterday."

Mikasa followed his covert gaze, until her eyes fell onto a rather short man with dark hair styled into an undercut. He – Levi - watched the people around him with a rather bored expression, his steel-blue eyes giving hint to no emotion, apparently ignoring his talking companion, who was gesticulating wildly and enthusiastically. Mikasa was surprised – every time the Ministry's best auror was talked of, she had always thought of someone rugged, muscular, and covered in scars; something like a younger Mad-Eye Moody. But this man was slender, not missing any body parts, his clothes pristine – he even had a cravat tied around his neck, stark white against the black of his muggle suit jacket.

Mikasa turned away when Eren growled a "_Don't stare at him_," just as the man in question's eyes met hers. Mikasa refused to feel embarrassed, even when he grabbed his friend by the arm and dragged them over to the counter. Eren made a sound close to a squeak, and quickly went back to the booth Armin was sitting at.

Mikasa watched Levi approach with a cool gaze. He sat on the stool next to her, his friend on her other side. They both watched her for a moment, Levi with the same emotionless eyes that somehow seemed mocking in a way and his friend with a look of seriousness as they appraised her behind round glasses.

"Hi, I'm Hanji Zoe," the brunette said suddenly, sticking their hand out. "And this is Levi - not that you don't know his name already, eh?" They ginned at him over Mikasa's head.

Mikasa took the outstretched, giving a quick shake. "Mikasa Ackerman." She regarded the pair almost warily. Levi had yet to speak, only watching her, tapping his fingers on the wooden counter. He flagged a waitress down, ordering three fire whiskeys without taking his eyes off of her.

Levi waited until the waitress came back with their drinks before speaking. "So, Ackerman." His voice was cool, deep, and betraying as little emotion as his eyes. "I hear you're one of the students being accepted into the auror program."

"Yes." Mikasa sipped at her fire whiskey, nearly coughing and spitting it out at the taste – fire whiskey was a good name, she realized. Hanji gave her a sympathetic grin as she struggled to swallow, patting her back.

"There are a lot this year, aren't there?" he continued, thankfully ignoring her attempt to drink the vile whiskey. "Three, am I right?"

"Yes," Mikasa said carefully. "Me, my brother, and our best friend."

He raised a single, neat eyebrow. "You're brother? I thought you had no family?"

"My adopted brother," Mikasa said shortly, narrowing her eyes at him in confusion.

He seemed to catch her unspoken question. "The school sends a report on each of the students who apply. I read yours." He pushed his empty fire whiskey glass to the edge of the counter, absently cracking his knuckles. Looking over her shoulder, Mikasa realized Hanji had left and was now talking to Armin on the other side of the pub.

"Why would you read my report?" Mikasa asked, rolling her glass in her hands so she could see the way the amber liquid reflected the light. "And on that note, why are you here talking to me?"

"I read your report because I'm to be your mentor," Levi said easily, turning his body to face her, propping his chin in her hand. "I'm talking to you because the head of the office said you were good enough to be trained by me, and I was curious."

Mikasa felt the bite of surprise as she stared at him. "You – you're my mentor?" The Ministry's most powerful auror, who had filled half the cells in Azkaban, was her mentor? She had been told the aurors that would be mentoring them were those who were strong, experienced, but she had never thought that the strongest of them all would be _hers_.

He raised his eyebrow again, and now Mikasa knew there was a mocking light in his narrow eyes. "According to Erwin Smith, you bloody destroyed those little running tests they threw at you, and put some of the aurors we have to shame at dueling. You're scores are top rank." He paused to take a large gulp of fire whiskey when a new glass was dropped in front of him. "Now, I saw your test scores, so that I can confirm, but the rest I have no idea. I guess I have to trust Erwin's judgment and hope he wasn't exaggerating. And he better not be, brat, because if he was, I'll drop you faster than you can say '"Levi, please.'"

Mikasa blinked, staring back down at her glass. The head of the Auror Office said she was good enough to be mentored by Levi? She hadn't even thought he had been watching her at the testing – she remembered seeing the tall man with blond hair and a missing arm, but he hadn't been looking at her. She gave a start when she noticed Levi staring at her, tapping the rim of his glass against his teeth.

She gave him a curious look. He sighed, "What house are you in?"

Mikasa straightened her spine. "Gryffindor." Levi rolled his eyes. "What house were _you _in?"

"Slytherin," he smirked. "Surprised?"

"No," Mikasa said, even though she was. "I have friends in Slytherin." Mikasa looked around them as she noticed the other students getting up to leave. Checking her watch, she swore under her breath. She had about ten minutes to get to the castle, or she was going to spend her last month at Hogwarts scrubbing the floors and doing lines.

"Late?" Levi chuckled as she scrambled off the stool, straightening her skirt. "I'll see you in a month. Try not to get fat on feasts before then." He turned around, dismissing her.

Mikasa scowled at his back, wrapping her scarf around the lower half of her face as she pushed the door open, running to catch up with Armin and Eren. She glanced over her shoulder as they walked, eying the pub, half-listening to Armin telling her Hanji was his mentor, and ignoring Eren's questions about what Levi wanted.

She couldn't help but think being mentored by Levi wasn't something to look forward to.


	8. Shoot Me

Day 8 - Whatever You Like

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**A/N: This is a continuation of Shoot Me, which I can be read on my tumblr or here. I suggest reading it before reading this, because it probably won't make sense if you don't. Since this is to be a multi-chapter story and this is Ch. 2 I will also be posting this for that story, if you would rather read it there. **

* * *

Mikasa was curled on her couch, feet tucked under her, with a soft, worn quilt wrapped around her shoulders. She pushed her hair away from her eyes, rolling her shoulders as she lifted her face from the pillow of her elbow. She stretched out, resting her feet in Sasha's lap as she narrowed her eyes at the TV screen where Levi was hanging from the edge of a building, his shirt bloody and torn, as a grenade exploded off-screen.

Mikasa didn't know what it was, but something about watching an actor on TV after meeting them in person made Mikasa feel a little strange – it made it hard for her to really get into the movie. Especially when the movie was as dramatic as a James Bond movie was.

Sasha poked her foot, making Mikasa look at her. "You met this guy, right?" She pointed at the screen where the view had zoomed to a close-up of Levi's battered, dirty face.

"Uh, yeah, I met him a couple days ago. He's going to be on the cover next month." Mikasa had been right about which picture would end up on the cover – she had already seen the projected finished project, a zoomed in view of Levi smirking, one neat eyebrow arched in dark amusement.

Sasha turned to her grinning eagerly with her chin propped in her hands, elbows resting on her knees. "So what is he like?"

"I heard he's a dick," Annie interjected, flicking popcorn into her mouth. She dangled her legs over the edge of her chair, eyes trained on the screen.

"I wouldn't say he was a dick, really," Mikasa mused, thinking back to her conversation with him. "I wouldn't say he was nice either. He was just kind of…abrasive, I guess, but he didn't act like the asshole some celebrities can be." Mikasa pushed her legs to her chest, sitting up when Sasha wiggled excitedly as Levi came on screen, naked from the waist up, blood streaked on his chest.

"Is he really that muscular?"

Mikasa eyed the screen speculatively and shrugging. "He looked pretty muscular, but I never saw him shirtless. There are pictures in my bag, if you want to see." Sasha grinned, reaching over the couch to grab Mikasa's camera bag, handling it with care under Mikasa's stern gaze. "Don't touch my camera. The prints are in the front pocket."

As Sasha dug around, Annie sighed, "Why is it every woman's panties drop whenever Bond walks into a room in these movies?" She was watching the screen with a grimace. Glancing at the movie, Mikasa found that Levi was pressing a woman to the bed, kissing her chest. Blushing, she looked away – watching sex scenes with people she met was uncomfortable, she discovered.

"These pictures are hot," Sasha proclaimed, holding one up. "Can I keep this?" She waved the in Mikasa's face, allowing her only a glimpse of Levi, sitting on the ground with one leg drawn up and his forearm lying his bent knee.

"Sure, Sasha." Mikasa rolled her eyes, smiling at her friend. Annie glanced over, holding her hand out for the stack of pictures, leafing through them when Sasha handed them over. Mikasa leaned back against the plush cushions, turning her attention back to the movie.

"Oooh, Mikasa," Sasha suddenly squealed, bouncing her legs on the couch. "What is this?" She held up the small card Levi had written his name, number, and "Saturday?" on. Mikasa froze, staring at it. "Did Levi – the famous movie star – _ask you out_?"

Annie looked up from her chair, her eyes widening in a rare expression of surprise. Mikasa hunched down into the cushions, trying to hide her blush. "He may have."

Sasha grinned, dropping the card onto the ground as she jumped onto Mikasa, hands latching onto her shoulders and straddling her knees. "Well, you're going to say yes, right? I mean, come on, he's_ famous_."

Mikasa pushed Sasha off of her. "I'm not going to go on a date with him because he's famous, Sasha. I don't know if I'm going to go at all." It had been three days since she had photographed Levi and truthfully, she hadn't really thought about going any more than a passing thought about if he really was going to call her or not. "I don't even know him."

"Yeah, don't date him because he's famous," Annie said, shifting so that she was facing Mikasa and Sasha. "Date him because he's hot." She grinned suddenly, pushing her bangs behind her ear.

"Yeah. It's just one date, Mikasa. You don't have to know someone to go on one date with them." Sasha rubbed her hands together, grinning. "You could even kiss him. How many people could say they kissed a famous actor?"

"You could even have sex," Annie added slyly, crossing her arms and propping her chin on them. "I bet he's really good in bed."

Mikasa flushed. "If I do go, I wouldn't kiss him on a first date, and I definitely wouldn't sleep with him. Besides, he said he was going to call me, and he hasn't yet, so why even worry about it?"

Sasha pouted, making her eyes go wide. "But, Mikasa, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. I know you meet celebrities a lot, because you have the coolest job _ever_, but how many of them are going to ask you out? Do it for_ us_." She fell back against the other side of the couch, throwing her hands up dramatically.

"You could regret not going for the rest of your life," Annie said. "What if when you're fifty and living alone, you think back and say 'damn, I wish I went to lunch with that famous guy, Levi?' Going on one date can't hurt."

Mikasa scowled at their joint-efforts to rope her into going. Sasha, she could understand trying to get her to go – she loved to meddle – but Annie too? She was normally apathetic when it came to her friend's love lives. "Why is it so important that I go? He's just a guy, who _happens_ to be famous."

"Mikasa," Sasha whined as Annie rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to the movie. "Why don't you want to go? You said Levi wasn't a complete dick, and you know he's hot. You might even really like him." She leaned down over the side of the couch, plucking the slightly bent card off the ground and grabbing Mikasa's phone off the coffee table. Punching in the numbers, she sighed, "Do you even have a reason for not wanting to go?"

Mikasa thought about it for a minute before shaking her head. "No, it's just…I don't know. I don't even know what he wants from me. I only talked to him for like five minutes, about _cameras_, and he suddenly asked me out? I don't get it." Mikasa shook her head again, this time in confusion.

"He probably thought you were pretty and wanted to talk to you more," Annie said drily, digging through the nearly empty popcorn bowl. "That's usually what people mean when they ask someone out."

Mikasa sighed. "He hasn't even called me yet. I don't know if he will at all, so can we drop it? I'll think about it."

When Sasha and Annie left her apartment, after two more movies and more hints about her upcoming-date-that-was-still-a-maybe, Mikasa allowed herself to really think about it. Truthfully, she hadn't thought about it at all since she was given the card, and still didn't know if she wanted to go or not. She thought she should be jumping for joy at the invitation – he _was_ famous, after all. But she wasn't sure. Mikasa hadn't dated much since leaving college – either her job was too in the way, the guys she met were too crude and callous for her tastes, or she just felt apathetic about the whole ordeal. Often, she enjoyed getting ready for the date more than she actually enjoyed the date itself.

Jean had been her last boyfriend, and that had been nearly 6 years ago. Mikasa often felt that fact worried her friends – Eren and Armin in particular – but Mikasa never really minded. She liked her life, her simple life, with her well-paying job she actually enjoyed, her friends, and her nice apartment close to Eren's. How many people could say that about their lives?

Of course, sometimes, Mikasa wished she had a significant other – usually after seeing Connie and Sasha being cute together or watching some romantic comedy. But, Mikasa was cynical at heart, and she knew that the image of a boyfriend she wanted most likely would not be what she got. She just didn't want to go through all the trouble of finding a guy she could spend her time with, awkward first dates and questions about her past that brought bad memories, until something comfortable was achieved and Mikasa could spend time with them without feeling smothered by the affection of a new lover.

Sasha and Annie's arguments had made sense, Mikasa had to admit. It was just one date – there was no harm in spending one evening out with a man, even if she didn't particularly like him. She didn't dislike him, either. And if she did go, she could ask him how exactly sex scenes were filmed (Sasha made her promise to ask, and Mikasa was curious herself).

So, when her phone buzzed, Levi's name lighting up the screen, Mikasa made herself count to ten before picking up. "Hello?" She was proud her voice didn't reflect any of her sudden nervousness.

"Hey. Mikasa, right?" Levi's deep voice said evenly.

"Yes."

"Good," he chuckled. "I got the right number. Would you like to go to dinner Saturday night?"

Mikasa was silent for a moment, slightly surprised at his forwardness. Clearly, this guy didn't like to beat around the bush. "Alright," she murmured, not sounding eager at all. "Where at?"

Levi gave her the name of a restaurant Mikasa knew to be expensive, telling her to meet him outside the building at 7. Mikasa was chagrined when he told her he had already made reservations – forward, and confident, she noted. He gave her a quick goodnight and hung up.

Mikasa pulled her cell phone away from her ear, almost dazed at how quickly she had agreed to go out with him to a restaurant that normally she would never be able to afford. She sighed, shaking her head at herself, already scrolling through her contacts to find Sasha's number, smiling when her friend squealed through the line, promising her they would go dress shopping tomorrow.

Mikasa couldn't help but smile, her friend's eagerness was so contagious. Even if the date turned out to be a bust, at least she had an excuse to splurge on a nice dress.


End file.
